The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-16

nave all you nceu."
Then mother actually schools herself Il
know it is an effort, but a sense Of duty is
strong In herr TO kiss cousin Mary, trial OF
moral strength | am not equal to, and pro.
ceedng which seems to strike our visitor with
profound surprise. Ada proves herself as
great coward as | am, for she merely shakes
hands, and then conduct our guest upstairs.
When we reach her room she suddenly turns
round to me- 81 want to know rightly what's
expected of me" she says. ''lt's all very fine
her talking like thatn-and she points towards
the door with her thumb to signify she is re-
ferring to mother-but want TO know the
rights of the matter It amt just Likely she'll
saddle herself with young woman she's to
make nothing out Of"
For moment feel indignant that mothers
dlslntcrestedness should be suspected; then /
really began to fancy that perhaps after all,
Jack was right, and our Cousins brain is a
little unhnged; so say soothingy, as the
best way of getting out Of the difficulty
"Well, well, wen see about It tomorrow.
daresay you're tired tonight and must want
to be done talking. Good night. Breakfast
at $780, you'll be called at eight and leave
nef LOOKING only nan hhtlhHcu'
rush down stairs when have quilted her.
Mother, Ada and Jack have drawn ronud the
fire, and are holding family council. Their
tones are so grave, their faces express so much
chargrin, that were the whole affair not so cru
ely notifying, 1t would be too absurd.
"Fanny," begins Ada, In tragic voice, 1--WE
,an't take her TO the st. Clare's. 1t would
never do"
81 don't sec how we can help IT," l say,
gloomily. "Did you ever see anything like
herin
"Ncver." returned my sister soemly; "and
really do not see how we are TO take her
about" looking reaectively into the fire Pm
sure should be ashamed to be seen with her. "
"IIow long will she stay, mother!n
"About a month, should think" says
mother With a sigh, mot longer"
'Quite long enough" says Ada, savagely,
while / can only roiterate "a month"; des-
parlngy. Then we are all silent picturlng
suppose what the prospective month will bring
forth. Apparently none of us find the rehec-
ton cheering
Didn't you know what like she was when
you asked herr" asks Ada presently, with I'M
reasoning impatence. as she like Uncle Ed
garl"
"Why, you know, dear" says mother, an
swering the mpetuous outburst with her usu-
al unrufled gen.leness, give never seen Mary
until tonight, and she Is as like your uncle as
-as-well as she is unlike you, Ada" she ends
smllingly.
Ada is the strong point Of the family in per-
sonal attraction. Probably she is soothed by
the allusion, for she kisses mother by way Of
apology, aud we grow little less doleful as
we resolve to make the best o. matters as they
are. So we get our work. and the clock on the
mantelpiece ticks steadily, and the fire burns
brightly, but somehow instead of the usual
merry buzz Of conversation, we seem sudden
ly to have developed a reflective turn Of mind,
for the work progresses but our voices are ST.
lent Presently we are startled by ring at
the door bell-it must be quite two hours after
Cousin Mary has retlred-indeed, we are just
putting our work together, as II is getting late
and libby brings In a red envelope, and
handing II to mother, says, in voice Of awe,
due to the occasion, "A telegram for you,
ma'am." "a telegram" exclaims mother with
a nervous start born OF general horror of tel
way fly to Tom in India. libby retires, and
Mother tears open the envelope with trembling
fingers and reads aloud
From Mary Montgomery, Yarley, to Mrs.
Vaughn, Well Road, Tunburgh
"Have been obliged to delay my arrival till
tomorrow. Hope this viii not Inconvenience
you. VIII explain reason when we meet"
Mother reads 1t once through, then looks up
bewlldered. at cant be for me-" abe says at
last, picking up the envelope aud examining
the address.
"Of course 1t is,n | say; "look here's your
name and address inside as we'll"
But Mary's up stairs" says mother In
puzzled tone. "What's Il all about! don't
understand" and she proceeds to peruse the
telegram once more.
None Of us understood at first, but gradual
ly a light dawns upon us.
81 have it," says Ada in an eager, excited
tone 1t isn't Mary we've got up stairs at all"
She announces her conviction just as we all
come to the same conclusion.
'Then who is itln asks mother slowly. Yes,
who is 1t. There's the rub
Apparently an immense weight has been
lIteu from Aua > iillnu Ny htI ulsCONcigi ioi
regardless Of the dilemma we are in II she Is
right, her face beams with satisfaction.
Mothers, on the contrary wears a look Of
troubled anxiety. which think the occasion
hardly justifes-an anxiety which seems TO
deepen the more she ponders the matter. At
last she speaks
''some one has known Of this,n she says
gravely, laying her hand on the telegram.
Some one has known Of Marys movements.
The woman up stairs is an imposter. / feel
sure of II. She's not a woman either, or I'm
h. orciA...ll..